EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Dr. Rich Roberts takes on the anti-vaxxers as Measles cases rise in Lakewood; Engages top law firm

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94 COMMENTS

  3. Dr. Roberts thank you!!!
    Be strong because now “they” will unleash a barrage of the “frum” “dass Torah” weapons against you!
    Stay strong don’t buckle,[ remember what “they” did to Rechnitz two years ago, he buckled].
    Thanks from all the vast numbers of clear thinkers out there

    • Thanks for your words of support and don’t be concerned. I am quick to change if I am wrong, as I did in becoming frum, but I am willing to undergo any degree of pain or suffering for what is right (as I did in becoming frum!!!). It’s not likely that “they” can affect me. I have been battle-hardened through 37 years of intense competition, dangers, and losses along the way. Don’t worry, “I got this”.

  4. Thank you Dr Roberts!!! I was hoping someone would speak up like you just did!!! You have my 100% support in all of this if you need it!!

    Isn’t it amazing it’s ALWAYS about the money!! Crazy!! I never even thought of this before I watched the video.

  7. And the Pharmaceuticals companies are not making money off all the shots? Please Dr. Roberts, of all people you should know how much money the pharmaceutical companies make. Do people realize according to to Ocean County(at least as reported on the Lakewood Scoop) that there were only 6 cases of confirmed measles and possibly 7 more, the way the media is reporting it you would think there were hundreds? I would love to have real data of those cases how many had been immunized previously and how many not? There are two sides to the story and as a thinking person I can see both sides. But what scares me is to see how people are demonizing other people with a different view and to start threatening with calling in authority is a very scary slope that will hurt the whole community. These threats and actions are reminiscent to a certain extent of antifa and the left when you don’t follow their views. A shame that our community has fallen to such a level and no good can come out of it if it continues.

    • Ad Dr. Roberts pointed out, some people are so cognitively invested that they won’t hear arguments. So Here’s my challenge to you:

      Research the differences between bringing a medication to market under the FDA and bringing a supplement / vitamin to market with virtually no regulation.

      • The FDA protects the drug companies, NOT the consumer. Do your research.

        As for non-regulated vitamins, it’s not difficult to find the reliable suppliers…you get recommendations from MD’s who also use holistic measures, such as integrative MD’s.

        At least the ineffective brands from Walmart don’t cause massive harm like drugs too often do. Ever looked into FDA approved Vioxx? More Americans were killed from that FDA approved drug than in the entire Vietnam War!!

        Ineffective vitamins only hurt the pocket book for no purpose. And maybe give a person some indigestion.

    • Absolutely, Denise. There are many articles out there in Forbes magazine and other publications talking about the profits vaccine manufacturers are raking in from vaccines, in particular ones like the flu shot and the HPV vaccine. If the people who responded to your comment can’t even bother to do basic research (or don’t have those skills), that’s on them. What you’ve shared is fact.

      And these people who are demonizing others for making the medical choice that is right for their family… well, as you said it is very scary.

  8. Thanks Reb Rich.
    You are a hero for defending the lives of our brothers, and putting up the money to defend the schools from those who are using lawfare to force the schools to put our kids lives in danger.

    • Thanks for your comment. Those who are using “lawfare” are about to get a big dose of push-back. I suspect that any school who gets sued will have all of the free, high-powered, legal defense that they could want.

  9. Thank you Dr. Roberts for your efforts to stave off diesease in our community. In Lakewood in particular it’s a bit harder but yes we are all behind you

  10. @denise
    No there is no 2 sides, is there 2 sides to Nazisim? Apartheid? Murder? There is a right and a Wrong and this is a wrong.
    For all you geniuses that did research and found authors online pontificating the dangers of vaccines, you can find solid proof that there are UFO’s, that USA was behind the 9/11 attacks, there are many liars and conspiracy theorist that are taking advantage of people , and even though they look legitimate they are all frauds. So you gotta use your head

    • Thanks for your comment. You are exactly correct. This is one of the points that I made to a leader of the anti-vaxxer movement who is also a major Orthodox Jewish religious leader (who is finding himself becoming progressively isolated in his position). There are situations where there are facts that are legitimate and overwhelmingly supporting one side and only manipulation techniques and baseless conspiratorial speculation on the other. This is one of those cases where the anti-vaxxer leadership side is profiting while misleading and hurting people. These last two aspects are triggers for me. I have been triggered. They have gone too far. Watch what is coming within the next day or two on this website from my attorneys.

    • And what exactly do you know about vaccines except that the doctor said. So the anti vaxxers think for themselves WOW you havent done that apparently just like the rest of the pro vaxxers

      • You can also ask many doctors, most of whose answers will align. So, if you’re wild enough to believe that there is a massive conspiracy within the medical community, consisting of thousands of independent practitioners, to deceive the world (not lakewood, not new york, THE WORLD) about vaccines in the hopes that “Big Pharma” will pay all of them, then you fit right into the “won’t listen to facts” group.

        • It’s not a conspiracy within the medical community, it’s just a serious gap in their medical education. Perhaps because so many medical schools get funding from pharmaceutical companies, professors are often hired as “consultants” for pharmaceutical companies, doctors are hired as “consultants” also and receive free trips to conferences and stays at 5 star hotels, the American Academy of Pediatrics receives funding from vaccine manufacturers, and on and on. Perhaps it creates some bias and that is why doctors do not get a thorough education regarding adverse events, contraindications, and their legal obligations to report certain things?

          So many doctors are ignorant, for example, of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act passed by Congress in 1986, for example, which requires that only some of the very serious adverse events that occur – those which are either a contraindication to further doses of a vaccine or on the injury tables for the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program – be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

      • Doctors aren’t the vaccine experts. They also aren’t experts on chronic illness, autism, or vaccine injury. They tell parents reactions are normal. They’re not. Far from it. Toxicologists are experts on toxicology. And many have learned how to discern the fact that different people with different metabolisms have very different results when it comes to metabolizing vaccines, medicines, and environmental toxins. Wonder who pays off the doctors and hospitals when someone comes in saying they’ve been poisoned environmentally? Because they are not treated. Unbelievable disconnect.

  12. @denise
    Vaccines are not a very profitable product. They cost a ton to research and develop and once thats finished they are only needed for one or two shots per person. Real money for pharma companies are drugs for chronic illnesses that require daily pills. As far as demonizing the other view, I could care less what other people think normally, but in this scenario it is endangering people so it should be demonized.

  13. Brian Hooker, PhD, who has a Masters of Science degree and a Doctorate in Biochemical Engineering from Washington State University has publicly asked for a debate with doctors, including naming Dr. Rich Roberts, to discuss “the science and the policy around mandatory vaccination.” Perhaps it would be a good idea for Dr. Roberts to take him up on the offer so that the evidence from both sides can be presented?

    • Brian Hooker sounded like a total fool after being interviewed by David Lichtenstein – a total amateur on this with no medical degree – on the Headlines Podcast.

  15. Thank you Dr. Roberts! I’m a pro-vaxxer and all my kids are up to date with vaccines. HOWEVER, I must point out that there is a FOURTH category of anti-vaxxers (myself not included but one I’ve clearly observed in other folks): some anti-vaxxers hold their way, simply because they believe a child’s body has what it takes to fight measles and that in fact it’s better to get it when they’re young because then it’s 100% garenteed they won’t get it as adults – whereas vaxxed kids can still get it even as adults, as the bochrim in Mir did. (Plus they don’t need to endure the potential side effects.) This 4th group of people have access to the internet and have no monetary gain from it and neither are buying natural products to substitute for the vaccines (I know this for a fact, I don’t agree with them but I know personally people who fit in this 4th category); rather they think there’s no reason to give the body aluminum and other materials that are poisen and damage the immune system just to prevent a disease which the body can anyways be ok with and get over (just like a flu, and more people have died from the flu than from measles and there’s no freak out over flus). There’s medical experts on both sides of this discussion. Speaking of making profit over anti-vaxxes: for every $1 the anti-vaxx industry makes, the pro-vaxx industry makes $10,000. The drug and pharmaceutical make billions off vaccines, if we’ll talk about making money from vaccines/anti-vaccsines, let’s acknowledge this. Also, when we were kids the number of vaccines for measles were 3; now it’s 4; why is that? Money? What changed? Money? Also, this 4th category doesn’t know the long term effects of these shots; lots of bad ingredients being injected which many Doctors around the world believe have very bad side effects (including autism among others); and the shot isn’t even fully effective, as every kid who got it recently was vaccinated. And even if a non-vaccinated kid gets it, if they receive antibiotics or whatever care is normally given for it, they’ll be fine (provided they get care right away), just like when they get a flu. (The kid in EY who sadly died from it was a child of neturei karta parents, who refused to accept ANY medical care for their child, even after the measles began, plus the parents had it before the kid caught it so the parents had ample warning to prevent a situation from even starting, and caring for it as soon as the first sign of it began on the child, but did nothing.) Regarding studies, all the studies done on this topic to advance pro vaccines are carried out by (or paid by) the major companies who gain billions from vaccines; for instance, they will say “x amount of ppl die from measles” but they won’t tell you that x amount of people who they used for their poll were either pre-natals or very old people that were anyways sick in the hospital etc; in short, their polls were not made from a group of 100% healthy people. Also, these powerful companies who make billions from vaccines yield the power within medical schools to teach the doctors a set of facts that they concluded based on studies they conducted, without revealing the metrics they used to carry out their studies as well as withholding information which may provide a counter view to the benefits of vaccines that can be critical to the multi billion dollar vaccine companies.
    In conclusion, I’m a pro vaccine because I’m a non medical guy who believes the doctors and see no reason to be part of the minority. However, my point in this post is to let know that there is A FOURTH CATEGORY of people who are anti-vaxx, and in my opinion, the majority of anti vaxx fall under this category. This is based on many conversations I’ve seen in WhatsApp chats and around town, from this 4th category of anti vaxx people. For this category, I think facts WOULD help them and would change their minds.
    Dr. Roberts, do you acknoledge there’s indeed a 4th category, and what would you say to this 4th category? I think if you would be willing to debate 3 anti-vaxx folks live on video, across the table from each other, just like the video above, and they would be allowed to fully express their side and present their data, and you would show them how mistaken they are, it would be very helpful to the public and more importantly it would be VERY effective in my opinion. Perhaps the Lakewood Scoop can moderate it.
    (Btw, the rabbanim who ate against vaccines, I think are in this 4th category.)
    Thank you Dr. Roberts for everything you do for us!

    • This logic would only apply when there is a reasonable chance that the un-vaccinated person would actually get the measles when they were a child. This is not likely these days with most of the population being vaccinated. If as you say these are the majority, these people would be actively trying to infect their children now during this outbreak in order to develop their immunity.

  17. We can blame the mosdos, the physicians… Its vety simple as Rav Kanievsky told Roshei Hamosdos from Lakewood about 3 years ago an unvaxer is a Rodef, there are people with all types of sicknesses who have low immune systems walking around, pregnant woman who are susceptible to catch any disease hashem yirachem. Unvaxers are like active shooters. Dr. Roberts go after the Health Dept.

    • Rav Shach asks that you will trust a physician to tell you to eat on Yom Kippur but you won’t trust him when he says that you must vaccinate?

  18. Dr. Roberts doesn’t need to lower himself and talk to a discredited person like Dr. Hooker
    A simple google search would clarify who this man is .
    And btw how many years experience does he have in internal medicine or pediatrics?

  19. I am Not an anti vaxxer but I am an anti cult,
    it’s every parent’s decision piriod,
    people could recommend one another
    But not tell each other what to do “or else”,

    In a dictatorship or a cult people demand of each other what they must do with themselves and their children,

    May we all be Healthy אמן

  25. Dr Roberts I hope you read this message. instead of cancelling the chol hamoed event. Make it ab exciting S.t.e.m. learning event so many more kids will be educated in stem and part of it can be teaching about vax

  26. Dear Dr Roberts.
    I don’t understand the big deal. If the immunizations work then shouldn’t we assume that all the people that had the shots are immune? If yes why should we force the anti vaccinators to get the shot. If your immune then your safe

    • No Moshe,
      Firstly the vaccines are not 100% effective, even after two doses. Secondly, those who may be sick with measles can cause harm to newborn and unborn babies. Thirdly, as Dr. Roberts had plainly put it. There are those who are unable to vaccinate due to health reasons which would be at risk as well.
      MEASLES IS EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS!!!!

      Lastly, it’s spelled “you’re” not “your”

  28. Could some one explain me , it that illegal( according US Law) not vaccinat your children , that some one can sue you cort?
    Never heard that some one was investigated because of that
    What Dr. Roberts is talking about?

    • It is not illegal to not vaccinate.

      It is illegal to conspire to deceive for profit.
      It is illegal to knowingly deceive for profit (fraud).
      It is illegal to deliver healthcare without a license.

  29. An anti vax person told me that the schools cannot discriminate against the Kids that didn’t get shots because it’s against the constitution , meaning that even there is an measels outbreak in the school it’s still not allowed is that true?

  30. Dear Dr. Roberts
    We have a great appreciation for what you do for the klal, it unbelievable!!!!!
    May Hashem bentch you and your family with Arichas Yumim and health, wealth and nachas.

    However I was a bit taken back by your suggestion (in essence) that the “authorities “ will be beneficial to stopping these misguided people.

    If we have learned anything from the Rubashkin case (and many many other cases – Fake Russia collusion “) that the ”authoritarian folks” will make a case out of nothing, especially if it will bring them attention…
    BH we have Rabbis and good people in our community who can deal with these issues.
    If the Rabbis feel that these parents are indeed Rodfim, than schools are NOT allowed to have them in their schools (let them open up their own schools), if the rabbis hold they should let them back to schools, than so be it! Anyone complaining, Can choose to pull their child out and open their own school.
    Again thank you for caring, and please let’s not ever mix in the “authorities “ in our community.
    Sincerely
    Pro vaccination Lakewooder

  31. Lollypop, what are you talking about? If a chassidishe school can discriminate and not accept a litvak, or a yeshivish school can discriminate and not accept someone modern, why can’t a school discriminate bc they don’t vaccinate?

    • You’re right – it’s complicated when it comes to private schools. Public schools have to allow unvaccinated, due to religious exemption, but private schools can perhaps set their own policy. But there are letter from the rabbanim that should accept.

  33. I know that there is no aluminum in MMR, but there is in other vaccines. Can Dr. Roberts please post one study that was done to show that the total amount of aluminum contained in all the vaccines administered according to the CDC schedule in the first six months of life is safe ? Also can he post which studies were used to show that injecting any amount of aluminum in infants is safe? Thank you.

  35. Lollypop,

    Excluding unvaccinated children from school during an outbreak is not against the constitution. Looks like your anti-vaxxer is as knowledgeable in civics as (s)he is in science.

  37. I really see you are very concerned about the fact that people are making money, I wonder what about the money the pharmaceutical companies?
    What about the CDC owning over 50 patents on vaccine and vaccination processes?

  39. In my opinion, Dr Roberts made a mistake by including a lot of questionable claims in his discussion. The safety and efficacy of vaccines are extremely well-grounded. Issues like Chinese martial arts and whether or not kinesiology involves avoda Sora are on much much shakier ground.

    The problem with this approach is that you leave yourself open to “refutation” via people seizing on the shakier parts of the argument. Best to stick to what’s directly relevant and solidly grounded.

    Bottom line with regards to vaccinations is that the overwhelming consensus of researchers who have studied them is that the benefit vastly outweighs the harm. The likelihood that this could entirely result from a massive conspiracy is virtually zero, and this notion could only be accepted by those who have no understanding of the scientific and medical communities.

    In my opinion there is a tiny but non-zero chance that the medical community is wrong about vaccines, as they have been wrong about other things in the past. But if so, this would be the result – as has generally been the case in other instances- of a failure to appreciate the complexity of the issue, and a resulting misinterpretation of the evidence. But this possibility has no practical ramification. The same possibility applies to every other medical conclusion, and indeed to every other expert consensus in any other field. Right now this is the best that human knowledge and understanding has to offer so that’s all we have to go with.

  40. The people that are against vaccines has grown out of seeing their children injured by vaccines. Sadly you never touch on the reported adverse events from vaccines. You never mention the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) I very much doubt you have read any of the scientific literature in the last ten years. Regarding the Disneyland measles outbreak a few years back, 38% that were affected had measles from the vaccine. Laboratory confirmed. That’s the facts. Since you like to discuss facts perhaps you should acquaint yourself with some. Nothing is safe for all people all the time. One of the leading Pediatric Neurologists in the US has stated on record that vaccines can and do cause autism. You believe you have something of value to share with the parents of a vaccine injured child, think again.

  41. Dr Roberts ,
    Thank you !
    Thank you for going the extra mile for our community.
    Thank you for standing up for what’s right .
    Know that the overwhelming majority of Lakewood residents are standing behind you and applauding you .

  43. love the dr. i really wish jeff would read. dude. did u not get the memo on the 1998 study. the company itself pulled the results and the study. it was only twleve kids and flawed. thats why the cdc, yes the cdc not just a one fly by night phd the whole cdc debunked the tie to autism. read people. keep the good work up dr Roberts.

    • The study you are referring to was about bowel disease and autistic children. I doubt you have ever read that case report. There has been a lot of literature since that paper, which again had nothing to do with vaccines and autism. If you deny vaccines cause injuries then you have not read a thing. I’ve read thousands of studies and sadly this doctor does not know what he is talking about.

  44. How many of the 32 local Doctors that signed the petition, do not welcome people who choose to remain unvaccinated into their practice?
    Would that be a good idea?

  47. I work for a mosad (not in Lakewood) and we’ve received frantic calls from parents of children with compromised immune systems. Thank you Dr. Roberts for being there for these children who are needlessly being exposed to danger!

  48. I was unable to watch the video on my device. Can someone let me know if Dr.Roberts explained the tens of parents in Lakewood itself who have seen direct negative reactions in their children in the last 5 years from vaccines? If a parent has seen an adverse reactions in one of their children, should they continue to vaccinate?

  49. Skin in the game…put it in writing…yes, good idea. From now on, our doctors and pharmacists should be putting in writing that if any adverse reaction happens from the vaccines, they will be the ones responsible for paying for it.

  50. Thank you Dr. Roberts for laying everything out there and putting yourself on the line!

    If you are reading this… My wife was by the pediatrician last week and he said my one month old carries immunity through my wife’s nursing. Is there any validity to that?

    I’ve basically been quarantying my newborn at home until now since he’s too young for the shots.

  51. I am pretty sure that private schools can always deny those who don’t vaccinate regardless of if there is an outbreak or not.
    Actually schools are required to make sure all their students are vaccinated or can be in trouble from the state.

    The religious exemption is just that if the school decides to accept kids without vaccines they must have a religious exemption so the school doesn’t get in trouble.
    NOT THAT THE SCHOOL IS REQUIRED TO ACCEPT CHILDREN WHO ARE UNVACCINATED!!!
    Anyone who has facts otherwise please comment.

    • New Jersey has to provide a public education to children with a religious exemption or medical exemption from vaccines. The schools must abide by state law.

  55. my daughter just turned 6 months so we quickly got the 1st dose at chemed on thurs. but now I’m hearing it takes 2 weeks to be immune so does that mean we have to keep her home for 2 weeks? (for her safety)

    Serious answers pls.

  56. Dr Roberts, thank you for all your hard work!

    One question- when figuring out if schools can keep unvaccinated children out, is there any way for them to differentiate between “antivaxers” and children who medically may not be immunized due to immunocompromised status etc?

    I just feel very upset…what about all the families who do vaccinate but have an ill child who cant receive the shot? Is there a way to put them in a separate category with regards to going to school? Do the attorneys know to keep this in mind?

  58. Thank you for your video. I hope people will circulate this and maybe it will get to some of those ignorant people. Btw I’m not pro pharmaceutical either they too made a beautiful business on our expense. In general I don’t care what people do and how they live or chose to live their life, to each their own.
    You want to be more frum less frum, eat meat, be a vegan. Do what you want.
    But when your actions start effecting others and putting others at risk that’s not ok.
    You don’t want to vaccinate your self and your kids, don’t! but they should Not be allowed in the same schools, playgrounds, camps, medical facilities, dentists, supermarkets, with kids and people who do get vaccinated. Why should little babies or others be put at risk because you choose to live your life at risk. Do what you want in your own little circle build a community with people who believe and have your way of living ..like the Amish and live your life the way you want away from everyone else. I wonder how many of those who don’t vaccinate their children, were actually vaccinated themselves.

  59. Vegan is against the torah – not just less frum. The Torah states explicitly hat one can eat meat, and a bracha is made on shechita (and it even raises the cow to a higher level!)
    The fact is Daas Torah and the experts say that once you’ve vaccinated, you’ve done your hishtadlus – as you undertand – and you cannot force others, and they do not put you at significant risk

  60. Spoken like a true Anti Freedom Tyrant who wants Gov to control your body. Not very Jewish Not very American. Show us the safety studies Dr. from the HHS since 1987 as required by law for ALL the vaccines not just one vaccine, with one ingredient. Let’s see you debate someone live.

  61. Parents must have medical choice. It is scary that there are people out there, that would want the government to force parents to do this. My God, have we learned nothing in the past century? Also, according to the CDC, about half of the US adult population is not up to date on vaccines. Please, go to the CDC website and look at the numbers yourself. Where there is risk, there must be choice. Look at the inserts included with each vaccine. Criminal prosecution? This is insane!

  62. I watched the above video with great surprise.
    I know many people who choose not to vaccinate (who by the way are not “anti’ anything, they have merely made an informed decision not to vaccinate some or all of their children).
    None of the people that I know pay money for kineseology or other alternative medicine. The vast majority of these people have had negative experiences with immunizations which spurred them to do their own research. I am talking about sane and stable people who will tell you that while that do not have absolute clinical proof that the vaccinations were the certain cause of the negative developments that their children experienced, however, the strong correlation between the shots and the immediate negative occurrences has given them cause to reevaluate the benefits versus the possible risks of vaccination.

    I would like to briefly relate my story.

    I moved to Lakewood around 10 years ago. I brought my daughter to the pediatrician when she was one year old and developing very nicely. I was told that my daughter was behind in shots and my daughter was given 7 shots at that visit! My daughter stopped talking after that visit for six months! The years that have ensued have been one long struggle for our daughter and for us. Every day my child struggles in school and at home with the things other children take for granted. We have been to every specialist and doctor but have yet to see our Yeshua. We did NOT stop vaccinating at that point as we were raised with absolute trust in vaccines. Only after another child reacted negatively to vaccinations did we start to research this topic. I went to a well known doctor in town and asked him for his opinion on vaccinations. He was and is a very strong proponent of vaccinating. The doctor told me story after story of the damage people suffered from diseases that vaccinations have Beezras Hashem been able to stop. The doctor strongly advocated that one should vaccinate. I then described our story that I wrote about above (albeit in much greater detail). After hearing all the details this doctor advised me NOT to vaccinate my children but rather rely on herd immunity.
    In conclusion I cannot prove that the vaccines caused my child’s problems, however, I can not prove that the vaccines were NOT the cause either.
    Every parent wants the best for their children. We each try to make the best and most informed decisions for our children. We are not doctors or lawyers. However, Hashem has entrusted us with the task of using the best of our abilities to obtain what we determine to be the correct guidance and counsel that we need in order to make the right choices.

    I would like to conclude with a request of all viewers. Let us try to give one and other the respect and benefit of the doubt that we would like to be given to ourselves. If we each apply a little bit of effort to increase Ahavas Yisroel and distance ourselves from the unfortunate and negative rhetoric that has been surfacing in our communities regarding this important issue, then we will surly bring the Yeshuos we seek and the Geula a little bit closer.
    Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my message.

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